but she’d had two within the past couple of years.
On her last assignment she’d worked alone, planting bugs and identifying records and files that proved that one former classmate’s father’s business was illegally dumping chemicals and poisoning the environment. Now she was hoping for something more exciting.
“So tell me about this assignment,” Vanessa prompted, anxious to hear the specifics. It wasn’t like Renee to hold back on the details.
“As you know, our assignments are important and involve real danger.” Renee paused, her blue eyes full of concern. “It’s a modeling assignment. If you accept,” Renee explained, “it’ll take you back to the world you left a couple of years ago. It’s even been arranged for you to get a contract to model swimsuits in the coveted Inside Sports Swimsuit Fantasy Edition.”
Vanessa’s chest constricted. She found it hard to swallow past the thickness in her throat. Considering the fact that she hadn’t modeled for two years and there were many younger models clamoring for the Inside Sports swimsuit edition, the contract was quite an achievement. However, after she’d left the glittering yet caustic world of modeling and spent months recovering in a private clinic, she’d promised herself that she never had to go back. She’d modeled from the time she was fifteen until she was nearly twenty-five, and between the job, the people and life she was exposed to, she’d nearly died at least twice. Others hadn’t been so lucky.
Was she really strong enough to go back into that world and stay focused enough to complete a successful undercover mission? She’d never told anyone about everything that had happened to her, everything she’d done, but there had been rumors. Regarding Renee carefully, Vanessa bit the inside of her mouth.
It was more than likely that Renee knew all about her exploits. She might even have pictures. Renee had a number of resources at her fingertips. When she’d asked Vanessa to join the Gotham Rose Club, she’d told her that all the club’s members underwent background checks. Vanessa had been admitted, but that didn’t mean Renee knew about her struggle with drug addiction.
“Vanessa?” Renee prompted.
Vanessa stood. There was a polite knock and the dining room door swished open as the maid came back with more hot water. Vanessa felt the blood pound in her ears.
Renee extended a hand to briefly cover Vanessa’s. “Perhaps you should speak to the Governess’s representative and hear the details before you make your decision.”
Vanessa nodded. Excusing herself, Renee whispered instructions to the maid. With a nod, the maid refilled the teapot and left the room.
Vanessa forced her body back down into the chair. Lifting her dainty, gold-and-blue accented cup, she took a large sip of the hot liquid, grimacing as it scalded the inside of her mouth.
The dining room door swished open once more. “Excuse me, ladies,” a strong male voice projected from the doorway. “Mrs. Sinclair? Ms. Dawson? I’m Cody Mackenzie from the DEA’s Miami Field Division and I’ve been sent by the Governess.”
Vanessa set the cup back into the saucer. Her gaze riveted on the handsome, golden brown man standing in the doorway. The blue, off-the-rack designer suit he wore enhanced his muscular build. Apparently the DEA was attracting better-looking agents these days.
He took in her carefully made up face, the plunging neckline edging her full breasts and the long length of leg revealed by the asymmetrical hemline of her dress. Was that censure in his gaze?
Nodding, Renee regarded him calmly. “Mr. Mackenzie, I’m Renee Dalton Sinclair and this is Vanessa Dawson. Please join us. Tea?” When he declined, she gestured him to a chair. “I wanted Vanessa to meet you and get a rough idea of the mission.”
Mackenzie walked to the table to regard Vanessa with dark, combative eyes. “Have you seen the newspapers? Did you read about the two models who were stabbed to death and their apartments ransacked? The DEA thinks that both models were mules in a powerful drug ring.”
Pushing her back against the chair until it was ramrod straight, Vanessa answered that she hadn’t. She’d become so depressed by the things she read in the news that she avoided it, like an ostrich with its head stuck in the sand. She turned to face Renee, ready to stop Mackenzie from springing the trap she saw closing around her.
“I—I’m not interested, Renee.” I can’t go back.
Mackenzie kept talking. “Both models lived in apartments on Ocean Drive. The first was a new model named Bianca Moore. The second was a veteran model named Gena Chadwick,” he said. He pointed his finger at Vanessa. “You knew her. She was a friend of yours.”
Vanessa gasped at the names. Her eyes burned. Gena had been her roommate and companion on several assignments when she modeled for Echelon Models.
In her mind’s eye, she could see the vivacious Gena with her thick, chestnut-brown hair and her vivid, green eyes. They’d been good friends, but fear of being pulled back into the modeling life had kept Vanessa from maintaining contact with Gena. Had some crazed maniac gotten hold of Gena and Bianca, or had the women been involved in something as dangerous as smuggling drugs? And why? A mixture of grief, anger and outrage burned in her stomach.
Standing, Renee rounded the table to put a comforting hand on Vanessa’s shoulder. “There’s still time to help the other models being drawn into this and the people who get hooked on the drugs brought into this country,” she said. “I hope you can suspend your grief long enough to reconsider. Many lives are at stake.”
Renee’s words hit Vanessa hard. She had to do something, didn’t she? She’d been wild in her modeling days, and had developed a coke addiction between partying and trying to stay thin. Vanessa was ashamed, but knew she wasn’t unique with her problem. Many of her wealthy friends and fellow models had abused drugs. At least Vanessa had sought help and recovered.
“I can understand why you might hesitate to put yourself back into such a situation,” Renee said carefully, “but you’re stronger now and more mature. You’ve learned a lot through your training here.”
Vanessa closed her eyes and considered what was at stake. She risked being drawn back into the drug scene. Investigating the drug ring also involved the personal risk of being killed, like Gena and Bianca. But with the vicious murders of those models and the fact that her little sister Michelle was hell-bent on a modeling career, could she really refuse the assignment?
Chapter 2
Still somewhat shaken that she’d agreed to the assignment, Vanessa sat in the Gotham Rose basement consultation room, trying to concentrate on the mission file Renee had given her. She needed to have her head examined. She was committed to keeping her word, but deep inside she wanted to skip out of the room as fast as her pink suede shoes would take her. The invisible bond of her conscience was the only thing that kept her glued to the chair.
Across the table from her, Cody Mackenzie’s mere presence crowded the room. A cloud of negative vibes hovered over his head and threatened to drench everyone in the room. When he glanced her way, there was an unpleasant expression on his face. His nostrils flared and the corner of his wide mouth curled. He looked like he’d been sucking lemons. What was his problem?
Vanessa thought back on everything that had happened since Mackenzie appeared. Yes, she’d initially refused the assignment, but that was her right and she’d had good reasons. Yes, she’d weathered some emotional moments when
